Reggie laughed. “What? You haven’t checked Cousin Fiona’s schedule? Musicale first, in which we shall all delight in hearing Lady Cherish’s dulcet tones.”
She blushed. “Well, I shall sing. Hopefully, you will find it pleasant.”
“I am sure we shall all be transported,” Reggie said, taking her hand and giving it a light kiss as he bowed over it again. “Then we all go into supper. Afterward, it is to be parlor games. She is setting us up in teams of four to compete against the otherteams of four. Fiona has already put her list together but won’t show it to anyone yet.”
The duke winced. “Oh, hell.”
Cherish stifled the impulse to laugh again, for she was having far too much fun watching him squirm. This big, powerful man was such a marvel of contradictions. He had survived years of battle, harsh conditions, painful wounds, and other difficulties beyond her comprehension, yet he grimaced at the thought of having a silly young lady or two placed on his team? “Your Grace, I am sure it is all meant to be in fun. You will survive these games no matter what diabolical designs Fiona has in store for you.”
“She’ll stick me with all the peahens, I’m sure,” he muttered.
“Well, Lady Cherish certainly is no peahen.” Reggie held out his arm to her. “I hope you are on my team.”
“Oh, thank you. I would love to be on yours.” She placed her hand in the crook of his offered arm.
The duke stepped back to retrieve his jacket, and then followed them out. But he was stopped before catching up to them by Lady Margaret, who had been carrying several books and now dropped them at his feet. “Oh, dear. Do forgive me, Your Grace.”
“Not at all,” he said with resignation at the obvious ploy for his attention, and knelt to pick them up for her.
“I thought I could manage them on my own,” Lady Margaret said with a nervous titter. “I do enjoy a good read. Don’t you, Your Grace?”
Cherish was surprised when Reggie did not rush forward to assist her, leaving the chore entirely to his uncle. Was Margaret not one of his favorites? She was very pretty and knew how to flutter about in that helpless way all men seemed to adore.
But Reggie merely looked on and grinned. He also held Cherish back when she started forward to help pick up one ofthe books. “Come with me,” he whispered, and led her off to the terrace.
He held out a chair for her and then settled in the one beside her. Only then did he dare to emit the burst of laughter he must have been struggling all the while to hold in. “Lady Margaret wasn’t planned. But wasn’t her timing perfect? If that girl can read, then I’ll eat my shoe. Did you see the books she dropped? One of them was in German and the other two were written in Latin. Did you see my uncle’s face? Gad, how I love to see him caught off his guard. He’s always so perfect, it is maddening.”
Cherish joined him in a mirthful chuckle. “I knew it. I gather Fiona has told you of her plan.”
“To match you with my uncle? Yes, and I think it is brilliant. He wants to match us, and I am determined to see that plan blow up in his face.” He suddenly realized he might have insulted her and hastened to apologize. “I did not mean… You are clearly a lovely young woman. Do forgive me. I certainly meant no insult.”
“None taken.”
“Thank you, Lady Cherish. I can see why Fiona adores you, and I am convinced my uncle is not indifferent to you either. As for me, I am not of a mind to marry yet. Besides, my uncle is right about my needing to grow up a bit before I make a suitable duke or proper husband.”
She shook her head. “It is quite all right. I am not at all offended. I think you are a good soul, although…”
“What, Lady Cherish?”
“That woodpecker laugh of yours. Is it real or merely put on?”
He grimaced. “It is real, but only when I am drunk. You must think me an idiot.”
“Not at all. But I do prefer you when you are sober.”
“Well, I am almost grown out of these drunken revels. I’m sure within another year or two I shall be a model citizen.” He called over one of the footmen and ordered lemonade for them.“And three glasses. Oh, and move this chair away from Lady Cherish. Put it to the right of mine.”
They had taken seats at a wrought-iron table with three matching chairs surrounding it. The empty chair had been beside her. But the footman now placed it beside Reggie. Cherish was disappointed that the duke would be forced to sit next to Reggie and not her, but it was in furtherance of Fiona’s plan to make the duke realize he, not his nephew, was the right match for her.
Even if everything they did failed, as Cherish truly thought it would, it was still worth the attempt. She was so strongly attracted to this man, and not because he was a duke. In truth, his title was an irritating impediment. It sat atop his big, strong shoulders like a giant chip. He had grown so wary of everyone’s motives that he refused to ever let down his guard and allow anyone in.
The duke joined them a few moments later, striding onto the terrace in all his magnificence.
He frowned upon taking in the seating arrangement, but said nothing and settled his large frame on the chair beside his nephew. “Stupid trick,” he muttered, spreading his longs legs before him. “I’ll wager my entire estate that girl has never read a book in her life.”
Cherish thought he was likely right, but Lady Margaret was young and it was not her fault that her family chose to have her trained in the art of flirting rather than academics. Yes, she was never going to expound on important scientific theories. But she was very likeable and did not appear to have a malicious bone in her body.
In truth, Cherish liked Lady Margaret and felt sorry that her family was pushing her toward this Silver Duke when it was obvious she liked Reggie. “Do not be too hard on her, Your Grace. You ought to be flattered the ladies are interested in you.”
